Electromagnetic power-generator.



PATENTED FEB. 20, 1906.

J. L. POTTER. ELECTROMAGNETIC POWER GENERATOR.

APPLIUATION FILED MAYZS, 1905.

WWW if -feZvJ UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

ELECTROMAGNETIC POWER-GENERATOR.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Feb. 20, 1906.

Application filed M y 26, 1905. Serial No. 262,349.

To all whmn it may concern:

Be it known that I, JosEPH L. POTTER, a citizen of the United States,residing at Indianapolis, in the county of Marion and State of Indiana,have invented new and useful Improvements in ElectromagneticPower-Generators; and I do declare the following to be a full, clear,and exact description of the invention, reference being had to theaccompanying drawings, and to the letters of refer ence marked thereon,which form a part of this specification.

This invention relates to power-generators of the class in which thepower is generated by means of electromagnets that attract movablearmatures by which the power is transmitted to rotative shafts, theinvention having reference more particularly to the armatures and therotative shafts and to the elements associated therewith.

A prime object of the invention is to pro vide simple, compact, andstrong mechanism whereby power may be generated and transmitted by meansof electromotive force acting through stationary electromagnets andmovable armatures or vibratory arms to the end that the cost ofmanufacture of such mechanism may be reduced to the minimum and that themechanism be durable and economical in use.

A further object is to provide simple and relatively inexpensive yetinteresting and instructive toys of the above-mentioned type ofstructure.

The invention consists, broadly, in a powerenerator embracing vibratoryarms, means fbr actuating the arms, movable means engaged intermittentlyby the arms and actuated thereby without having constant connectiontherewith, and means connected with the movable means for continuing themotion thereof that may be transmitted thereto intermittently by thearms, and more specifically the invention consists of certain novelforms and arrangements of parts of the powergenerator and in thecombinations of elements, as hereinafter particularly described andclaimed.

Referring to the drawings, Figure 1 is a side elevation of thepower-generator constructed substantially in accordance with theinvention; Fig. 2, an end elevation thereof; Fig. 3, a top plan thereof;Fig. 4, a fragmentary sectional view on the line A A in Fig.

3; Fig. 5, a side elevation opposite to that,

shown in Fig. 1 and having parts of the frame broken away; Fig. 6, avertical longitudinal sectional View on the line B B in Fig. 3; Fig. 7,a fragmentary top plan showing modifications in the vibratory arms andin the means adapted to be engaged intermittently by the arms fortransmitting motion and power;

Fig. 8, a side elevation of a modified form of armature, shown in brokenlines in Fig. 6; Fig. 9, a fragmentary bottom plan of the generator; andFig. 10 a fragmentary sectional view on the line C C in Fig. 7, showingin elevation the modified means for transmitting motion from the arms.

Similar reference characters in the drawings designate correspondingelements or features.

In construction various kinds of materials may be suitably employed, andthe invention obviously is not limited entirely to the kinds that may beherein mentioned for the purposes of description. A frame is providedthat comprises a rectangular base D, preferably of wood, and twoidentically-formed upright or side members E and E, of suitable metal,that are secured to opposite sides of the base parallel one to the otherby securing devices a a b I), such as screws or nails. A yoke-plate F issecured by a screw 0 or similar device on the central portion of the topof the base D of the frame between the upright members thereof, and apair of identical cores G and G are suitably secured on the end portionsof the yoke-plate, each core having suitable windings d for producing anelectromagnet structure, the upper or free ends of the cores beingsomewhat broadened, as by collars or by upsetting the metal of thecores. A brush-holder H, preferably composed of vulcanized fiber, isattached by 5 screws 6 or the like to the outer side of one of theupright members of the frame. A rotative metallic shaft I is mounted insuitable bearings in the upper portions of the upright members E .and Eof the frame or in a plane between the cores and beyond the plane of thefree ends thereof, the shaft having a crank f, on which is a rollerg,'preferably composed of brass. A cam J is secured to the shaft I, asare also balance-wheels h and h and a pulley i, the balance-wheelshaving weights attached thereto for properly setting the crank f by theforce of gravity when the motor is stopped, so as to be in positionsuitable to be actuated by the vibrating arms or armatures when themotor is to be started in operation.

A shouldered pivot-rod K, preferably of brass, is mounted in suitableperforations in the upright or side members E E of the frame, so as tobe parallel to the shaft I and beyond either core therefrom, the rodbeing secured to the members, as by screw-nuts 7c or other suitablemeans.

A plurality of vibratory arms, which essentially perform the functionsof armatures and are constructed as such, are mounted pivotally on therod K and extend across the ends of the cores G and G and through thepath of the roller g of the cranked shaft 1, and so that' the arms mayintermittently draw the crank toward the base D and so that the crankmay intermittently push the arms away from the cores G and G. Anysuitable number of armature arms may be employed, there being two arms Land L shown for the sake of brevity, and in Fig. 6 a third arm L isindicated in broken lines, illustrating the relative position it wouldhave when practically applied, this arm being shown detached in Fig. 8.The two arms are spaced on the rod K by an insulating-collar Z andsleeves m and m. The various armature-arms may be made in variousshapes, so as to make the desired contacts with the roller 9 or with thebare crank f, if preferred, or with the equivalents thereof, hereinafterto be .described. As shown, the arm L is straight and is carried beyondthe magnetic influence. The arm L has a curved part a, which whilemoving as far from the axis of the shaft I as the contact portion of theother arm leaves its body portion within the magnetic influence of thecores when farthest removed therefrom. When additional arms, as L areprovided, they may have each a block p attached thereto or theequivalent thereof for carrying the armature thereof farther away thanthe arm L from the cores, the essential requirement being that thedifferent armatures move different distances fromthe axis of thecrankshaft that they are to drive and also move different distances fromthe magnets. Each armature-arm has a pivot-hole qto receive thepivot-rod which supports it.

A brush N is attached by screws 1" or the like to the holder H and withthe cam J comprises makeandbreak devices for connecting and breaking theelectric circuit through the frame and the rotative shaft, the brushhaving a terminal 8, connected to a post 0, that is secured to the baseD. A wire it connects the windings of the two cores, and the outer endof the winding of the core G is connected by a wire a to the framemember E, preferably by means of the screw 6, the outer end of thewinding of the core G being connected by a wire 1) to a contact-piece P,that is secured to the base D. A post 0 is attached to the base andsupports a switchfinger Q, that may be moved into and out of contactwith the contact-piece P. A circuitwire to is connected to the post 0,and a similar wire :20 is connected to the post 0 to be connected to anysuitable battery or electric generator.

The modifications shown in Figs. 7 and 10 mentioned herein may in somecases be preferred to the structures above described and comprise astraight rotative shaft 1, mounted in place of the shaft 1, a disk R,secured to the shaft 1 and having a suitable number of lateralprojections S and T at opposite sides thereof and at different distancesfrom the shaft 1 in lieu of the crank f of the shaft I, and a pluralityof armature-arms, as L and L, mounted pivotally in the places of thoseabove described, and all of identical form, either straight or curved,as may be required by the proportions of cooperating elements, the armscooperating with the projections of the disk.

Various devices may obviously be adopted for preventing the armaturesfrom moving too far for practical purposes away from the magnets,particularly in case the cores are arranged horizontally and thearmatures vertically, as pendulums. One balancewheel may be sufficientin some cases. It will be observed that the portions of the armaturesnearer the pivot thereof may be attracted by the core G, while the endportions thereof may be beyond the influence of the core G. Hence thecores successively attract the armatures when in operation, permittingof economical construction and operation with the minimum number ofconstituent elements.

In practical use, having established an electric circuit and therotative shaft having been turned until the crank (or the projections Sand T) and the armatures are in proper positions, the armature nearer tothe cores will first be drawn thereto and will transmit motion directlyto the crank or its equivalent, as the case may be, the other ar maturesbeing successively drawn to the cores by the electromagnetic force,imparting momentum intermittently to the balance wheel or wheels throughthe rotative shaft. When the shaft has made aportion of arevolutionforinstance, one-fourth or one-third thereof, as may be designed thearmature-arms will be stopped on the cores, while the rotation of theshaft continues until the dead-center has been passed, when thearmature-arms will be engaged successively by the crank or projectionsand pushed away from the now demagnetized cores until the otherdead-center has been passed, the above-described operations beingrepeated, as will be obvious.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed as new is- 1. Apower-generator including a plurality of vibrating arms, means foractuating the Blame arms, and a rotative shaft having a device carriedthereby intermittently engaged by the arms and actuated directlythereby.

2. An electromagnetic power-generator including a rotative shaft havinga crank or lever device attached thereto, an electromagnetic core, and amovable armature mounted opposite to the core and also opposite to thecrank or lever device and intermittently engaging the crank or leverdevice.

3. An electromagnetic power-generator including a rotative shaft havinga crank or lever device attached thereto, an electromagnet, and aplurality of armatures mounted movably oppositely to the electromagnetand having intermittent contact with the crank or lever device and alsointermittently disconnected therefrom.

4. An electromagnetic power-generator including an electromagnet, aplurality of armatures mounted movably at the electromagnet, and arotative shaft having a crank m or lever device attached thereto andmovable into and out of contact with the armatures and cooperatingtherewith.

5. An electromagnetic power-generator including an electromagnet, aplurality of pivoted armature-arms opposite to the electromagnet, one ormore thereof havinglateral deflections formed therein, and a rotativeshaft having a crank or lever device attached thereto and movable intoand out of contact with the deflections of the armature arms andcooperating therewith.

6. An electromagnetic power-generator including an electromagnet, aplurality of pivoted armature-arms opposite to the electromagnet, one ormore thereof having lateral projections attached thereto, and a rotativeshaft having a crank or lever device attached cores, a plurality ofpivoted armature-arms extending periodically parallel to the ends of themagnetcores and periodically moving with parts thereof toward one of thecores in advance of other parts thereof toward the other core, and arotative shaft having a crank or lever device attached thereto andperiodically directly contacting and moving the armature armssuccessively away from the cores.

8. An electromagnetic power-generator including a frame, anelectromagnet attached to the frame, a brush-holder mounted on theframe, a pivot-rod mounted on the frame, a plurality of armature-armspivotally mounted on the pivot-rod and extending opposite to theelectromagnet, a rotative shaft mounted on the frame and having a crankor lever device attached thereto and directly cooperating intermittentlywith the plurality of armature-arms, a cam attached to the rotativeshaft, a brush mounted on the brush-holder and having intermittentcontact with the cam, a circuit-wire connected with the winding-wire ofthe electromagnet and also with the frame, a battery-wire connected withthe winding-wire of the electromagnet, and a battery-wire connected withthe brush.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

JOSEPH L. POTTER.

Witnesses:.

WM. H. PAYNE, E. T. SILVIUS.

